"When massive first baseman Dan Brouthers became a Bison on May 30, he became a teammate of Jim (Deacon) White, Jack Rowe and Hardy Richardson, a trio who rate high among the players of the game's early years. By dint of powerful hitting, this quartet soon came to be known as Buffalo's 'Big Four.' " - from the Buffalo Bisons site at minorleaguebaseball.com

". . . the Bisons . . . had four of the most redoubtable sluggers in the game - Dan Brouthers, Jim (Deacon) White, Hardy Richardson, and Jack Rowe, who were popularly known as 'The Big Four'." - from an article in Baseball Digest, October 1956, about the Big Four and how they came from Buffalo to Detroit

The Big Four played several years with the Buffalo Bisons, and then were bought up by the Detroit Wolverines, something which caused a huge uproar. The four stayed several seasons in Detroit and then split up thereafter. Richardson and Brouthers went to Boston.

With the Wolverines in 1887, Richardson and The Big Four won the pennant and also won the post-season championship over the St. Louis Browns, featuring Tip O'Neill who had hit .435 in the regular season.